May 4, 2024: Train Games On The Train

Last Saturday, to be exact, on a special Austin Steam Train ride. Along with Jimmie, Randy, and Bridget, I demonstrated Express on a trip with more than 150 people. The point was just to go out and back, playing games. And we did that thing. Everyone had a good time and the railroad would like to do it again.

Express has been out of print for nearly 30 years. Now it's back. Designed by Darwin Bromley, this is the grand-daddy (well, one of the grand-daddies) of train games. If gin rummy and Mille Bournes loved each other very much and had a little game, it might look like this. I like it!

When a demo starts, everybody sees the cards with the nice train pictures and thinks "Oh, this is going to be a cute, friendly game." Then the shin-kicking starts, and the next thing you know, somebody's 12-point train is a smoking wreck. Did I mention that I like it?

Check your friendly local game store around the end of the month!

-- Steve Jackson